Feeding mechanism for rock drills



July 16, 1940. A. FEUCHT FEEDING MECHANISM FOR ROCK DRILLS Filed Oct. l5, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ami/Q7 'H500/r INVENTOR ATTORN EY July 15, 1940- `A. FEucHT l 2,207,792

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR ROCK DRILLS A Fle'd Oct. "l5, 1957 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A/ fer Fil/CHT l INVENTOR ATTORN EY Patented July 16, 194

RISSUEQ VAPR 'l- 1942 Lorifice FEEDING MECHANISM FOR ROCK DRILS- Albert Feucht, Garfield Heights, Ohio, assignor to The Cleveland Rock Drill Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 15,

13 Claims.

`This invention relates broadly to rock drills, but more particularly to a mechanism for automatically feeding the rock drill toward and from n the work.

lot

One object of this invention, is to produce -a rock drill with a reversiblel power actuated feeding mechanism operable independently of the l rock drill.

Another object of this invention is to produce a power actuated feeding mechanism including a reciprocatory piston coupled with a feeding element for imparting feeding motion thereto during each stroke of the piston.

Another object of this invention is to produce ray feeding mechanism forming a compact and in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 represents a side elevational View of a pawl used in the feeding mechanism.

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the pawl shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken through a plane indicated by line 5-5 in Fig. 2.

Fig'. 6 is a cross sectional view taken through a plane indicated by line 6--6 in Fig.\2.

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional View taken through a plane indicated by line 'l-T in Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken through a plane indicated by line 8-8 in Fig. 2.

' Fig. 9 is a view illustrating the relation of the gears with the piston rack.

Fig. l is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the pawls operating sleeve also included in the mechanism.

Fig.v 11 is a side elevational view of another pawl used in the feeding mechanism.

Fig. 12 is an end elevational view of the pawl shown in Fig. 11.

Referring to the drawings in which like symbols designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, I4 represents a iiuid actuated rock drill of the well known drifter type having a hammer (not shown) reciprocable therein for 1937,y Serial No. 169,221 (Cl. 121-9) delivering impacts to a drill steel I slidably mounted within a front housing I6. This rock drill is provided with the usual guides I'I by which the rock drill is slidably guided on a support or shell I8 for longitudinal slidable movement relative thereto. This support also carries a pair of side bolts I9, one on each side thereof and shown in Fig. 1 partly cut away to show details of construction. .Carried by the left end of the side bolts in 1, there is a cross plate 23 supporting one en d of a stationary screw 2| held against rotation by a nut I3, which screw extends longitudinally of the shell AI8 and has'its other end carried by a front plate 22 Ialso secured to the shell by the side bolts I9.

Operatively associated with the screw 2I, there is a feed nut 23 rotatably mounted within the lower portion of a housingv 24 which is rigidly secured to the rock drill I5 by two side rods 25,` one mounted on each side of the rock drill. IThis housing is formed with a bore 26 terminated toward the left in Fig. 2 by a piston chamber 2l disposed coaxially with the center axis ol the rock drill or drilling motor I5. Within the chamber 2'! is reciprocably mounted a piston member 28 in iiuid tight engagement with the inner wall of the chamber and formed with a stem 29 extending into the bore 26 where it is free to slide. Opening into the chamber 2l, one on each side of the piston 28, there are two ports 30 and 3| capable of alternatively admitting and exhausting motive iiuid into and out of the piston chamber for eifecting the reciprocationvof the piston 23. These ports are controlled by any suitable valve, numerous types of which are well known in this art, and since the valve itself does not form a part of this invention, but is asso-V ciated with this mechanism only for controlling the admission and exhaust of the motive fluid'l into the chamber-'21 for actuating the piston 28, no showing of this valve is thought necessary.

Formed on the stem 29, there are two sets of spiral gear teeth 32 and 33 disposed in opposed angular relation, with the teeth 32 engaging a gear 34, and the teeth 33 engaging a gear 35. The teeth of the stem 29, which may now be referred to as a rack, together with the teeth of the gears 34 and 35, are shaped in a manner effecting a partial rotation of the gears in opposite direction upon each stroke of the rack 2S. The two gears are rotatably mounted on a shaft 36 located within the casing' 24 above the nut 23. Rotatable on the shaft 36 between the gears 34 and 35, there are two pawl carrying heads'31 and 38, the head 3l having a hub 39 extending through the gear 34 where it is secured against relative rotation by a key d3, while the head 35 has a similar hub 4i secured to the gear 35 by a key 52. On the hub 35 is rotatably mounted a ratchet ring 3 formed with a skirt extending part way over the head 3l with its inner wall provided with teeth 45, while its external vall is shaped as a gear i5 meshing with a similar gear d formed integral with the nut 23. Rotatably mounted on the hub 4i of the head 33, there is similar ring l1 having a skirt also partly extending over the head 36 and formed internally with teeth t8, and externally with gear teeth il@ meshing with a corresponding gear 56 forme-f integral with the nut 23. Each 21 and 33 pivotally carries two pawls 5! and 52 constantly urged into operative engagement with the internal teeth of their respective ring 53 or il by spring pressed plungers 53. Near one of its ends, the pawl 5| is formed with a notch 5d having an inclined side wall 55 and a land 55 between the notch and the adjacent end of the pawl, while the paivl 52 is formed with a similar notch 5 1 having its bottom wall leading from the adjacent .end of .the pawl and united to the top or end 5S of the pawl by an inclined side wall 59. Slidable over the adjacent ends of the heads i1 and 33, there is 'a pawl operating ring 5.5 formed with two annular internal end beads 5| and 52 each having an inclined inner side wall 53. This ring is ,also provided with an elongated slot 54 accommodating the inner end or tip 65 of a handle 56 having a body portion 81 rotatably mounted within the housing 2li and secured therein by a nut 58. The tip 65 is formed eccentrically relative to the center axis of the .body portion 61, thereby causing the slidable movement of the ring 55 upon rotation of the handle 5E. To maintain this handle in desired positions, the body portion thereof is provided with detente 63 accommodating the end of a spring pressed `plunger located within a bore "Il .closed by a removable plug 1.2. The width of the ring 56 is .such that when `it is in one position its bead 6|, relative to the pawls carried by the .head is located into the ynotch 54 of the pawl 5| and in engagement with the end wall 5B of the pawl 52. In this position .of the ring, its bead 52 relative to the pawls carried by the head 38 is engaging the land 56 of the pawl 5| and is located into the notch 51 of the vpawl 52.

Rotatably mounted within the housing 24, there is a throttle valve 13 for controlling the admission of the rmotive fluid into the drilling motor l5, while 14 represents a small tube extending through the feeding mechanism above vdescribed for admitting cleaning fluid into the drill steel I6. This tube is removably secured to the housing v24 by a plug 15.

In the operation of the mechanism, let it be assumed that motive fluid is admitted intothe piston chamber 21 alternatively on each side of .the piston 28 through ports 39 and 3| for effecting the recipricatory motion of the piston 28 and the consequential reciprocation of the stem or rack 29, and that the ring 50 is located as rshown in Fig. 2. In this instance, the annular bead 6| of the ring 56 is positioned into the notch 54 of the pawl 5| carried by the head 31, allowing the engagement of this pawl with the teeth 44 of the lvratchet ring A43 as shown in Fig. 6, while the pawl 52 .carried by the same head 31 is maintained out of engagement with the teeth 4d due to the bead 6| engaging the end wall 58 of the pawl. Withreference .to thepawlscarried bythe head 38, the annular bead 62 of the ring 66 engaging the land 55 of the pawl 5l will maintain the same out of engagement with the teeth 48 of the ratchet ring 41, while the pawl 52 is engaging the teeth 48 as shown in Fig. 8 due to the location of the bead 62 into the pawl notch 51. of the rack 29 in a forward direction or toward the right in Fig. 2, the rack teeth 32 engaging the gear 34 will cause the latter and the head 31 to rotate in a clockwise direction in Fig. 6, while the rack teeth 33 engaging the gear 35 will cause the rotation of the latter and of the head 38 in the opposite direction or counterclockwise direction in Fig. 8. With the head 31 rotating in a clockwise direction in Fig. 6, the pawl 5| engaging one of the ratchet teeth 54 will transmit rotation to the ratchet ring 43, and therefrom to the feed nut ,23 due to the operative engagement of During the stroke the ratchet ring gear teeth i5 with the gear teeth 45 of the nut, thereby causing rearward feeding motion of the vdrilling motor. In vthis in stance, the pawl ,52 carried by .the head 38 which is now rotated in a counterclockwise vdirection in Fig. 8, will simply ride the teeth 46 of the ratchet.

gear and head 38 will be rotated in a clockwise direction in Fig. 8, which rotation is transmitted to the ratchet ring 48 by the pawl 52 carried by the head 3S, and from the ratchet ring 48 to the nut 23 due to the operative engagement of the ratchet Vring gear teeth 49 with the gear teeth 50 of the nut. tation of the nut 23 is in the same direction as that resulting from the forward stroke .of the rack, thereby again causing the rearward ,feeding-motion of the drilling motor. During the return stroke of the rack, the gear 34 and head 3 8 are rotated in a counterclockwise :direction in Fig. 6, causing the pawl 5| to simply ride l:the ,teeth 44 without interfering with the rotation in ra clock.- wise direction transmitted to the ratchet ring 43 from the nut 23.

When it is desired to feed -thedrilling -motor in the other direction lor toward the work, 4the handle -65 may be rotated about 90 to shift ythe sleeve 66 into a new position wherein its annular bead 6| will engage the land 55 of the pawl 5| In this instance, the fro .1

carried by thehead 31 for lpreventing.the engagement of this pawl'with the teeth 44 of the 1ring 43, while the pawl 52 also carried by the head 31 will :be engag-ing the teeth .4,4 Adue tofthelocation of the annular bead 6| intothe pawl notchl 51. nular bead -6,2 vwill also .engage Ythe ,end wall 5 8 of vthe pawl 52 carried by the head `38 Afor preventing the engagement of this ylast pawl With the teeth 48 of the ratchet ringA-l, while the pawl 25| carried bythe same head38 is nowfree to engage the teeth 48 ydue to the location of the annular bead 52 into the pawl v,notch 54.

With lthe pawl A5,2` engaging the teeth ,44 .'of the ratchet ring .143..and the pawl 5| engaging the teeth 48 of the ratchet ring 41, itwi1,lbe understood that during the forwardstroke Vof vtherack 29, the rotation imparted to the -head 31 ina clockwise direction in Fig. 6 `willsiinply causefthe pawl 52 carried by that head to ride thefteeth 54 of the ratchet ring 43, While thepawl 5l lcarried by the head 38 which is rotated in a counterclockwise direction in Fig. 8, imparts rotationjn that ldirection to the ratchet ring L41, Jwhiohgrctation 4is ,transmittedto :the ifeedfnutiz in ,a. ,clock In this new position of the sleeve, itsanwise4 direction in Fig. 8 for feeding the drilling motor-toward the work.

During the rearward stroke of the rack 29, the head 31 now'rotated in a counterclockwise direction in Fig. 8, will cause the pawl 52 carried thereby to transmit rotation to the ratchet ring 43 in the same direction, which rotationis transmitted to the feed nut 23 in a clockwisev direction;for again feeding the drilling motor toward the work Simultaneously, the head 38 is rotated in a clockwise direction in Fig. 8, causing the pawl 5| to simply ride `.the teeth 48 without interfering with the rotation of the ring 41 in a counterclockwise direction transmitted thereto from the feed nut `23. 1

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the gears 34 and 35 have oscillatory motion in opposite direction relative to each other imparted thereto due to the recipricatory motion of the rack 29. Through the ratchet mechanism, vthe rotation of the gears 34 and 35 in the same direction is transmitted to the feed nut 23 for imparting feeding motion to the drilling motor. In other words, rotation or feeding motion is imparted to the feeding element or nut 23 in the same direction upon each stroke of the reciprocat'ory rack 29, resulting in a substantially constant feeding motion of the drilling motor at a greater rate of speed than that which would result from the strokes of the rack in a single direction. It will also be understood that by simply rotating the handle 66, the direction of feeding motion may be reversed at will without affectin its rate of speed.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order to completely set forth the invention, it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining and it is to be further understood that various rearrangements of parts and modicationsof structural detail may be restorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

I claim:

1. In a feeding mechanism for a rock drill, a

fluid actuated reciprocable member, a feedingv element capable of feeding motion in either direction, means associated with said member and element for converting each stroke of said member into a feeding motion of said element, and means for selectively controlling the direction of feeding motion of said element.

2. In a feeding device for a rock drill, a power actuated reciprocable toothed member, a feeding element capable of feeding motion in either direction, a movement transforming mechanism between said member and element including means responsive to each stroke of said member for imparting feeding motion to said element, and means for selectively controlling the direction .of feeding motion of said element.

3. In a feeding device for a rock drill, a reciprocatory motor, a feeding element capable of feeding motion in either direction, means operatively associated with said motor and element responsive to each stroke of said motor for imparting feeding motion to said element, and means for selectively controlling the direction of feeding motion of said element.

4. In a drilling apparatus, the combination with a support, of a drilling motor slidable on the support, of a feeding mechanism for the motor including a power actuated reciprocable member, a duality of operatively `associated elements one carried by thesupport and the other by the motor,v one' of said elements being capable of rotation relative to the other for effecting the feeding motion of the motor in either direction, means operatively associated with said member and the rotatable element and responsive to each stroke of said member for imparting rotation to said rotatable element resulting in the feeding motion of said motor, and means for selectively controlling ythe direction of said feeding motion.

5. In a drilling apparatus, the combination with asupport, of a drilling motor slidable on the support, of a feeding mechanism for the motor including a power` actuated reciprocable member, a stationary screw carried by the support in operative engagement with a rotatable nut carried by the motor for effecting feeding motion of the motor upon rotation of the nut, means operatively associated with said member and nut for effecting the rotationof said nut in one direction upon each stroke of said member, andmeans for selectively controlling the direction of rotation of said nut.

6. In a drilling apparatus, the combination with a support, of a drilling motor slidable back and forth of the support, of a feeding mechanism for said motor including a power actuated member reciprocable relative to the motor, and means for automatically transforming each stroke of said member into a feeding motion in one or the other direction of said drilling motor.

7. In a drilling apparatus, the combination with a support, of a drilling motor slidable on the support, of a feeding mechanism for said motor including a stationary screw carried by the suppo-rt in operative engagement with a rotatable nut carried by the motor for effecting feeding motion of the motor upon rotation of said nut, a power actuated reciprocable rack, two sets of teeth on said rack disposed in opposite angular relation, a gear for each set of said teeth engageable therewith for oscillatory movement in opposite direction relative to each other upon the reciprocation of said rack, and means for transmitting the rotation of each gear in one direction to said nut for effecting the feeding motion of the drilling motor in one direction.

8. In a drilling apparatus, the combination with a support, of a drilling motor slidable on. the support, of a feeding mechanism for said motor including a stationary screw carried by the support in operative engagement with a rotatable nut carried by the motor for effecting feeding motion of the motor upon rotation of said nut in one direction, a duality of power actuated elements movable back and forth in opposite direction relative to each other, and means responsive to the movement of each of said elements in one direction for effecting the aforesaid rotation of said nut.

9. In a drilling apparatus, the combination with a support, of a drilling motor slidable on the support, of a feeding mechanism for said motor including a duality of operatively associated elements one capable of rotation relative to the other for effecting feeding motion of the motor, a duality of power actuated members rotatable back and forth in opposite direction relative to each other, and means for transmitting the rotation of said members in one direction to the rotatable element for effecting the feeding motion of the motor.

10. In a drilling apparatus, the combination with a support, of a drilling motor slidable on the support, of a feeding mechanism for said motor including a duality of operatively associated elements one capable 'of rotation relative to the other for eiecting feeding motion of the motor, a duality of power actuated members alternatively rotated in one direction, and means for transmitting the rotation of said members to the rotatable element.

l1. The combination with a drilling motor having a hammer reciprocable therein, of feeding means for said motor including a housing, a fluid actuated piston reciprocable Within said housing, a duality of elements one deriving rotation in one direction from the Working stroke of said piston and theo-ther deriving rotation in the same direction from the return stroke of said piston, and means responsive to the aforesaid rotation of said elements: for effecting feeding motion'of the motor in one direction.

12'. The combination With a drilling motor having a hammer recprocable therein', of feeding means for said motor including a housing, a uid actuated member movable back and forth within said housing, means deriving motion from thef movement of said member in both directionsv for transmitting feeding motion to said motor, and

means for selectively controlling the directionM and means deriving motion from the aforesaidA rotation of said elements for transmitting feed.

ing motion to said motor.

. ALBERT FEUCI-IT. 

